Brooks Scape Handlebar Pouch

The Brooks Scape Handlebar Pouch is superb for day trips or bigger adventures. There's lots of space for everything you want access to while riding, and the hard-wearing, waterproof exterior keeps it all safe and dry no matter what. It's very light, but does flop if the bag isn't full, and the zip flap could do with a redesign.

Brooks' take on the ever-popular barrel-shaped handlebar luggage is this 250mm long pouch (not bag) with a diameter of 120mm. It weighs just 140g, which is very impressive given its 3L capacity. Similar barrel bags tend to be in the region of 190-250 grams.

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The bag forms part of Brook's new Scape range, designed for all kinds of riding, including bikepacking and touring. All the Scape bags use the same super tough welded material and can be attached to one another.

The Handlebar pouch can be attached to the Scape Handlebar Roll, or alternatively, you can attach multiple Scape Saddle Pocket Bags to the front and sides.

It's a neat system, but it's a lot of money if you go all in – three Saddle Pocket Bags and the Handlebar Roll works out at £175 for 4.8L of space. I appreciate that's somewhat missing the point of the modularity, though.

The bag's welded construction is impervious to foul weather, and tough enough to withstand some serious abuse. There's a reflective Brooks logo and several nylon loops on the front for attaching things such as lights. All attachment points bar these nylon loops are made from Hypalon, which is incredibly strong and very resistant to wear.

It's worth noting there's very little reinforcement on the interior of the bag (unlike many other handlebar bags), other than sturdy foam protectors at either end. Consequently the bag doesn't maintain its shape very well unless it's full. There are no storage compartments on the inside, so you need to be tactical about where you fit stuff, too.

There's enough space for your lunch, waterproof jacket, phone, keys, and even your tools too – it's very generous. Here's what I fitted in:

Fitting

Fitting this to your bars is straightforward. Two nylon straps thread through loops in the upper Hypalon patch, and you tighten them through aluminium buckles. These buckles have Hypalon patches underneath to prevent your bars from getting scratched.

It's nice to see there's not a bit of plastic in sight here – it's clearly built to withstand the rigours of adventure riding.

To keep the bag in place over rough terrain, a Velcro strap fastens to your head tube or stem. With everything properly tightened, it works very well.

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The length can be an issue. The ends of the bag overlapped the bar tape on the tops, where I would normally rest my hands. As a result, I had to slot my fingers through the gap between bar and bag whenever I was riding on the tops, which wasn't particularly pleasant.

That said, you can get around this ergonomic foible simply by using the included foam spacers. By moving the bag slightly away from the bars, there's just enough room to accommodate your digits.

Weatherproofing

Brooks claims this is 'fully waterproof,' and while the zip is actually not, the flap that protects it from water is effective. Since the flap isn't secured, though, water could in theory get underneath, but in practice it doesn't – it runs over the top of the flap and away from the zip.

However, there's one small issue with the flap – it doesn't like to stay put. There's just enough room underneath that, when the wind catches it, it immediately lifts and stays that way until you stop or slow down.

Either it's my natural Froome-like abilities creating extreme on-road speeds, or – just perhaps – the design of the flap is simply a bit rubbish. Ideally, it just needs a magnetic fastener to keep it in place. Even a bit of Velcro would do the trick. I fastened some laces around the circumference and through the front hoops to keep it in place on longer rides.

At a more sedate, gravel-grinding pace I didn't find it so much of an issue, but it's definitely something to be addressed in a future update.

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Thankfully, the zip itself is easy to operate while you're on the move, the opening is a good size and the large puller makes it easy to find.

Value

The Scape lineup seems on the pricey side, but the Handlebar Pouch isn't that bad against similar barrel bags. Admittedly, that could just be the bike-packing scene's trendiness hiking up all the prices...

The Wizard Works Lil Presto! Barrel Bag is shorter and more suitable for riding in the tops, but it's not as capacious – and it's still heavier. Nor does it have the same level of waterproofing. It's also £15 more expensive.

Dave raved about the slightly roomier OrNot Bar Bag a couple of years back, but it's even more expensive at £85. As with the Lil Presto!, it's not as resistant to the elements as the Brooks, though again the slightly lesser width might be more suitable for your handlebars.

Overall

Once Brooks sorts out that annoying flappy flap, it's got itself a real winner. I'd happily take this on day rides or bigger bike packing adventures, safe in the knowledge it will perform really well.

It ticks all the right boxes with a high level of waterproofing, good capacity and impressive ease of use. It's very light, too. It's easily one of the best quality handlebar bags (or any bags for that matter) I've ever come across, and I reckon its tank-like build could last a lifetime.

It's not the cheapest way of carrying things, but against similar competition it comes out on top.

Verdict

Excellent handlebar bag that makes an ideal partner for any adventure